The Spam Report: Day #112: "I need your reply zkdgqhpk"

An 1895 Ford typewriter with filigree copper grille. The invention of typewriters in the mid-19th century changed the face of professional writing. The QWERTY keyboard is still the most common modern-day keyboard layout.

MY DESK: MADISON -

So, we have a bonus viewer-submitted Spam Report for you today. It comes from Jane S. and the reason I'm showing it is to vent.

Look, if you want to be a good con man/woman, you've got to work at it. I mean, haven't you seen what Paul Newman puts Robert Redford through in the greatest grifter film of all time, "The Sting." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSfglyoJNA4)

You can't expect people to fall for a con by putting "I need your reply zkdgqhpk." I've been looking at my keyboard the last five minutes, trying to figure out what fingers and what scenario could lead to that sequence of letters at the end of a subject line and remain vexed. The "Z" key is not an easy one to get to.

Oh, the former Libyan minister who drowned does have a next of kin. In fact, he has a wife and four kids as descendants, according to numerous media accounts of his death and his Wikipedia page. It took all of four seconds to debunk this spam, but it's still the grammatical and typographical errors that bug me.

C'mon, folks. Make my job a little harder to detect, will you?

Thanks Jane for sending this in. If you have an email you want to warn your neighbors about, please send it my way: mailto:aschrager@wisctv.com

My warmest greetings to you and your family. I am quite sure you are very much aware of the recent revolution and civil war in Libya that put an end to the leadership of Col. Muammar Gaddafi. I am Aliyu Musah a personal assistant to (Dr Shukri Ghanem,who was killed by drowning) the Libyan National Oil Company procurement manager in the whole Africa. See this website for more details.

He has no next of Kin and this is the reason I made up my mind to locate somebody abroad whom I can establish a business relationship with. I shall establish a memorandum of understanding with you and give you the power of attorney to represent my interest hence,I need the following from you as soon as possible.

1.Your direct phone number

2 Your full address and your age

3 Your occupation

The amount involve is Thirty Five Million Five hundred Thousand United States of America dollars(US35.5M )Immediately you accept to work with me in good faith I shall move the funds to your country without delay.